San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-04-20

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refractory child.
"Nor am l." retortcd sibyl" And
think that young people ought TO he re-
spected as well as old, until they have
done something to forfeit the right. What
is it you all want Of me, madam"-she
flashed round with gesture Of girlish
dignity-"or are you afraid or ashamed to
put it into wordsf"
The Countess looked at her with smile
Of cold amusement, in which there was
some involuntary admiration too OF the
family spirit.
"By no MEANS" she returned knitting
on undisturbed, "you are asked-as you
know very well-to save your family from
dishonor, and at the same time to benefit
youself, by marrying young Squire Bret
ton. who does you the honor TO propose for
your hand.
"And tell you, as / have already told
Amaranth that | did not love Mr.. Bret
ton"
My dear Sibyl" came with a weary
protest from the Countess. She had exist
ed for seventy-five years without ap-
preaching to any nearer comprehension
Of the word love than was contained in
a half-tigerish eagerness in the welfare
of her young.
sand do love Percival"
"Well-what of thatf'
swell, what Of that :" Sibyl's breast be-
gan to heave. Is it not natural that when
people love each other they should want
to marry, or at least remain true TO each
otherf Can't you understand grand
mammal Have you never'-s great I'M
conscious pity thrilled in the young voice
-"been in love when you were youngr
"Never, thank Heavenw The Coun-
TESTS busy needles flashed in the leaping
blaze'
"But you must be able to understand
about it," pleaded poor Sibyl, sob rising
in her throat. "And why am to be de-
MED the joy that is granted to the poorest
girl in our village over therei Why may
not I keep my word to my lover as well
as shei Oh, grandmamma"-the girl fell
upon her knees by the Countess's easy
chair and laid little feverish hand on
the old woman's shoulder-just try to
think what it is that you are all asking Of
me! How can put my love all out Of my
hearth And what horrible thing it
would be If / married Mr.. Breton, and
Percival came back. and found that my
heart began TO beat just the same as ever
when Percival crossed the hall or whistled
in his room up-stairsr
"Reallyw The Countess frightened her
thin lips and drew herself little away,
80 that Sibyrs hand slipped from her
shoulder. "Let me recommend you again
to be more guarded in your language,
Miss Sibyl. There is something positive
ly indecent in such expressions
Indecent! My love for Percival indie
cent? She started to her feet again, her
brown eyes ablaze with feeling. "But
Heaven put it into my life! How can it
be indecentf'
"Just as easily, it seems to me, as it can
be selfish, which it undoubtedly is, or you
would not allow it to weigh for one in
slant against the gratitude due from you
the orphan she has nursed and fed,
and bred up at her side-to my daughter
Anna"
Sibyl turned pale.
"Will no one believe what feel for
herr she cried twisting and wringing
her hands together. ais she not PercivaPs
mother and minef" With supreme en-
deavor to be calm, she went on, Listen,
grandmamma! Aunt Anna would have
every right to expect me not to marry for
her sake. If she would ask me to give
Percival up and remain single all my life,
would do it, and so would Percival. But
to marry a man don't like-to break my
promise" She paused choked by the
tears she would not let fall.
Your promise to Percival." declared the
Countess coldly, 'means simply nothing
at all"
Then how"-Miss Kennedy drew her.
self up-"does your ladyship expect me
to keep any promise l might make to Mr..
Brettonf Is not one promise as sacred as
anotherf"
THAT your own self-respect will teach
you after marriage"
"My own self-respectw The girl broke
into bitter laugh. II should have none
left. You would have robbed me Of the
last shred if accepted poor Mark Bret
ton feeling as do about PercivalI"
"Ta-ta-ta, Miss Sibylr cried the
Countess tetchily. mo more of this fine
talk, if you pleased You have heard Mr..
Bretton's terms. / want an answer-a
decisive one too-and not a string of nom
sensical sentimentalitiesw The terrible old
woman scowled again over her work more
darkly than before. II give you five min
utes," she said pointing, with one of her
shining needles to the clock-the clock
under which Percivars portrait stood
in its velvet frame. do what you are
told, young lady, and secure a position
for yourself such as every one will envy
you, or refuse. and let your aunt Anna
learn as she lies on her sick bed, that ev-
cry newspaper in England is ringing with
her sons and our family's disgrace"
A silence fell upon the room. The
Countess went on with her occupation,
knitting her stocking and weaving her
plans together Sibyl's destiny, as it
seemed, and her gay colored silken thread
were being woven and twisted together
in her relentless old hands. The fate Of
three passionate young hearts hung on
her cruel glittering needles.
Sibyl sat motionless in the dusk and
looked at her, feeling with kind Of des-
pair that she might beat herself to death
before that figure of granite before it